Ariel Castro: Auto-Erotic Asphyxiation, Not Suicide, Likely Cause Of Death

Ariel Castro told the court earlier this year that although he was being "painted as a monster" by his accusers and the media, he was actually sick with a sexual addiction, which led to his kidnapping of three young women who were kept chained in his basement for a decade while he repeatedly raped, beat, and tortured them. Now, officials think he may not have committed suicide in his jail cell in September, but rather accidentally hanged himself while achieving sexual satisfaction with a sheet tied around his neck.

Authorities say no suicide note was left, and he had recently asked to be put in a cell away from the other prisoners after complaining of verbal abuse, two things which lead investigators to believe the death was an accident. Security guards on duty at the time didn't perform the required checks of Castro in his cell beforehand, which is also being investigated according to a statement from Ohio Prison Systems.

"Director Mohr has reviewed and accepted the recommendations made by the after action review team, and acknowledges immediate steps taken by the Correctional Reception Center to address issues of security rounds being conducted according to policy."

Castro had been sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for the imprisonment, rapes, and beatings forced upon Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight over the last ten years. He also fathered a child with Berry, who is now six years old.